The present invention relates to orthopedic brace members and pertains particularly to a multiple stability balanced suspension knee brace.
The human leg has a skeleton structure made up of a lower bone called the tibia, which supports the calf structure and an upper bone called the femur, which supports the thigh structure. These bones are hinged together at a knee joint which consists of femoral condyles supported in engagement with bearing-like pads on the upper end of the tibia known as the lateral meniscus and the medial meniscus. The knee joint is held together by a plurality of ligaments including medial and lateral collateral ligaments and internal ligaments including anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments. The patella is mounted in front of this joint aiding in the leverage necessary for movement or extending of the leg at the knee.
When one or more of the ligaments or other structure of the knee become damaged, the knee joint may become unstable. This may permit the knee to bend or wobble laterally, slip anteriorly or posteriorly, or rotate about its axis. Such instability may result from many forms of injury. In such cases, the knee may be left with a permanent instability. It is therefore desirable to support the knee in a stable position, particularly its natural position, to permit the natural motion thereof.
While many attempts have been made in the past to provide supporting knee braces, many of these, however, while offering certain desirable characteristics, still have certain drawbacks.
The more relevant U.S. Patents directed to knee braces include the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,581,741 issued June 1, 1971 to Maurice Roseman entitled "Knee Brace". This patent discloses an upper generally channel-shaped thigh member 18 hingedly connected by hinges 16 and 48 to downwardly depending bar members 84 and 50' which are connected to a lower calf encircling or securing member. A pair of thigh attachment straps encircle the posterior thigh to retain the upper or thigh member into position;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,669,105 issued June 13, 1972 to Castiglia and entitled "Brace For Articulated Limbs". This patent discloses a pair of pads 12 and 14 positioned to engage the outer thigh and calf respectively and connected together by padded bar members hinged together with a cross-over bar hinged at 46 and including a pad 40 for engaging the inside of the knee. A number of flexible straps or bands are provided for securing the structure in position; and
U.S. Pat. No. 4,139,002 issued Feb. 13, 1979 to Almedia entitled "Universal Knee Orthosis". This patent discloses an upper or thigh engaging anterior thigh engaging similar tubular member 12 hinged by hinge pins 22 to a lower posterior calf engaging semicircular or semicylindrical member 16 and further includes a lower forward shin cover member 14 pivoted by pivot pins 24 to the lower member 16. Flexible straps are utilized for strapping the upper and lower members to the leg.
While the structures disclosed in the above described patents provide a certain degree of knee stability, they do not provide a balanced suspension constraining the knee against rotation as well as anterior displacement and at the same time permit normal flexing thereof.
It is therefore desirable that an improved multiaxis stabilizing, balanced suspension brace be available which supports and maintains normal knee movement.